NRC Claims and Objections Process Deadline Ends

The deadline for filing claims for inclusion into the National Register of Citizens (NRC) has ended in Assam and according to official sources over 30 lakh people have filed claims so far. However, in a worrying display of possible xenophobia, the number of objections filed jumped from a little over 600 on Saturday December 29 to over 2…...Read More

NRC

National Register of Citizens (NRC) is a list containing names of Indian citizens of Assam. The NRC was first prepared in 1951, after the Census of 1951. The NRC update of 2014-2016 across Assam includes the names of those persons (or their descendants) who appear in the NRC 1951, or in any of the Electoral Rolls up to the midnight of 24 March 1971 or in any one of the other admissible documents issued up to the midnight of 24 March 1971, which would prove their presence in Assam on or before 24 March 1971.

The NRC (1951) and the Electoral Rolls up to the midnight of 24 March 1971 together are collectively called Legacy data. It is being done with the compliance with section 3 and 6A of Citizenship Act of 1955; the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003 (amended in year 2009); Modalities and Standard Operating Procedure and Judgement Order of Supreme Court. Entire process is being monitored by Supreme Court.

Supreme Court in its order dated 25/10/2013 held the presence of D-Voters in the state doubtful and mentioned that these voters could be included only if the NRC is updated or the Foreigner's Tribunal declare them to be Indian Citizens.

Assam has 33 Districts presently, of which 10 districts have a more than 50% Muslim population. However, other than Darrang, all other, nine, Muslim dominated districts of Assam are seeing lower percentage drop rates from the NRC draft list as compared to other Districts with a lesser Muslim population… This overall situation has created trepidation,…

Gauhati HC Upholds NRC Coordinator’s order on siblings and family members of Declared Foreigners

Point of Discussion: The petition has been raised by an aggrieved brother of a Declared Foreigner and seeks to establish the unconstitutionality of such a notification in the light of S.2(3) and S.3(2) of the Schedule to the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003. Conclusion: The High Court upheld…

CJP Reaches Out

CJP reaches out to the people of Assam who are negotiating a labyrinth of citizenship related issues. Scores of our special volunteer motivators have spread out across many of Assam's districts and are helping people on ground with the claims and objections process. Additionally, we have also set up a round the clock toll free number to help people fill up the claim forms.

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CJP Impact: 10,000 Claim forms filled in just 40 hours in Assam!

After CJP called for assistance in helping people file NRC Claim forms in small and remote villages, over 200 government employees, teachers, educated youth and members of a few social organisations came forward. They took advantage of a three day holiday and joined hands with CJP to help fill out as many as 10,000 NRC…

CJP Launches App to aid in Filing NRC Claims in Assam

Assam is on the precipice of a major crisis, with more than 40 lakh people being left out of its National Register of Citizens. In spite of the claims and objections process having begun, and less than one month before it concludes, more than 35 lakh people have reportedly not yet applied to be included…

CJP in Action: Our Volunteer Motivators Go Above and Beyond

CJP’s Volunteer Motivators (VMs) are committed to helping people all over Assam with filing claims and objections for the National Register of Citizens (NRC). Our toll-free helpline allows our volunteers to not only immediately help callers, but also expand our reach to areas that have thus far not received much assistance. Recently, a college student…

CJP LAUNCHES ITS NRC TOLL FREE NUMBER IN ASSAM

NRC

National Register of Citizens (NRC) is a list containing names of Indian citizens of Assam. The NRC was first prepared in 1951, after the Census of 1951 to maintain a record of citizens. The Assam Agitation held between 1979- 1985 demanded the expulsion of 'foreigners' from Assam. This led to the updating of the NRC. The NRC process is meant to officially include the issue of illegal immigrants, specifically from Bangladesh. The recent draft of the NRC left out 4 million people out of the total 32 million plus applicants.

Keep a track of the NRC numbers

32991384+ Number of Applicants

28983677+ In the NRC

4007707+ Citizenship in question

Note: A Claims and Objections process beginning August 7 will lead to updates to the list

EXCLUSIVE figures of NRC exclusions (district wise)

CJP has EXCLUSIVE data of district wise NRC exclusions

EXCLUSIVE: India’s former President’s kin left out of NRC in Assam

Members of India’s fifth President FA Ahmed have been left out of the National Register of Citizens (NRC). Now questions are being raised about the insensate practices followed by the NRC authorities during the update process that failed to consider natural calamities like floods that affect Legacy...Read More

CJP in Assam: Volunteers involved in NRC Correction Process

The process for correcting names and other particulars for Assam’s National Register of Citizens (NRC) is under way, having begun on January 2, 2019. CJP’s Volunteer Motivators and Community Volunteers are hard at work on the ground across various districts in Assam, helping people whose names appeared in the July 2018 draft list of the…

NRC Claims and Objections Process Deadline Ends

The deadline for filing claims for inclusion into the National Register of Citizens (NRC) has ended in Assam and according to official sources over 30 lakh people have filed claims so far. However, in a worrying display of possible xenophobia, the number of objections filed jumped from a little over 600 on Saturday December 29 to over 2…

History

The genesis of the NRC is linked to the movement against ‘illegal immigrants’ , ostensibly from Bangladesh. This movement has in turn sparked off violence against these ‘illegal immigrants’. But what is the history of borders between Assam and Bangladesh ? What is the source of this disconent? Watch our maps to see how ‘Assam’ changed over the years.

Assam in Historical Maps

Assam was ruled by various dynasties during the medieval period - the Pala, Koch, Kachari, and Chutiya. The Ahom kingdom established in the 13th century at the upper Assam plain gradually took control over the entire region. Although there was continuous warfare, the kingdom ruled for over 600 years until the 19th century.

The present day Bangladesh and Assam were part of the British India till 1947. Until the idea of border came in, people have moved across this region freely. The British promoted the migration from the Bengal region to Assam for labour in the tea gardens and later for cultivation in the Brahmaputra valley.

Detention Camps

Detention Camps are places where the Assamese who are Declared Foreigners are kept till they are deported. Currently 951 DFs are lodged in 6 detention centers operating out of makeshift facilities in local jails in Goalpara, Kokrajhar, Dhibrugarh, Tezpur, Silchar and Jorhat. These detainees do not possess the same rights as the convicted/charged inmates and aren’t allowed to parole, family visits, and working for a wage. Meanwhile, the government has sanctioned over Rs 40 crores to set up a Detention Camp at Dhakurbhita in Goalpara.

Handcuffed in hospital, Assam man fights for his life

Illegally framed as a “foreigner”, Ratan Chandra Biswas, is handcuffed in the Goalpara hospital Civil Hospital, battling for his life. Emaciated and shivering, his condition is bitter testimony to the ghastly conditions in Assam’s six detention camps, where over 2,000 persons are estimated to be incarcerated. Guwahati, November 4: Ratan Chandra Biswas, framed as a…...Read More

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Petition against Assam’s Detention Camps in SC

Human Rights activist Harsh Mander has moved Supreme Court siting the deplorable conditions of Assam’s Detention Camps. These camps are where people who have been declared foreigners by Foreigners’ Tribunals are lodged pending deportation or bail. Presently there are six detention camps operating out of makeshift facilities in local prisons in Dhibrugarh, Jorhat, Goalpara, Silchar,…

Yet another Mysterious Death in Assam Detention Camp

Jobbar Ali, a 61 year old man who had been languishing behind bars at the Detention Camp in Tezpur, was found dead on October 5. Now, his family, many of whom are themselves fighting allegations of being doubtful or D-Voters, suspect foul play in his death. Ali lived with his wife Simon Nessa, two…

The Curious Case of Syamlal Ali

In yet another example of the heartlessness with which the system operates in Assam, the father of a new born baby has been unable to even hold his son, because he is locked up in a detention camp. This man Abul Hayet was declared a ‘foreigner’ because Election Commission officials recorded his grandfather Saman Malik’s…

D Voter

D voters are people whose position as voters is doubtful owing to lack of their ability to produce proper citizenship credentials. The Election Commission started classifying citizens as D voter in 1997. The Border Police would refer suspected foreigners to Foreigners’ Tribunals following which there would be a trial where they would be required to prove that they are genuine citizens. So far 2,44,144 people had been marked as D Voters till December 31, 2017. 1,31,034 cases had been disposed off and 1,13,110 cases were still pending.

8 Year Old Declared D-Voter in Assam

The final draft of NRC was published today on July 30, 2018 and a number of people have been declared D voters. Monavar Hussain, an 8-year old boy is one among them – strangely, his parents are legal citizens.

Foreigner Tribunals

Foreigners Tribunals are the quasi- judicial bodies responsible for hearing cases with respect to foreigners/non-citizens/D-voters under the Foreigners Act, 1946. When the Border Police find a person’s citizenship suspect, that person has to prove his nationality within 15 days, failing which the case is referred to the local Foreigner Regional Registration Office. The Office conducts its own enquiries and if not satisfied the case then gets transferred to the FT..

Assam man forced to prove Indian citizenship four times!

Even as Assam gets ready for a draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) that will be released on July 30, 2018, many people, whose cases are still pending before Foreigners’ Tribunals or the Gauhati High Court, will have to wait to have their names cleared before they can be added in the NRC. But as we discovered....Read More

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35th Citizenship related Suicide in Assam!

The excruciating and soul-crushing process of updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the long standing ‘D’ Voter vis-a-vis Foreigners Tribunal has taken not less than 35 lives until now. After Samsul Hoque of village Bagariguri under the Barpeta district took the extreme decision to take his own life on November 14, 2018, two…

Assam Citizenship Crisis: Is Anyone Safe?

Ten kilometers away from Morigaon town, ten members of the family of a former Deputy Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly have been accused of being foreigners. Reports say almost all residents of this village have been served similar notices. They all now, stare at an uncertain future.

Assam man forced to prove Indian citizenship four times!

Even as Assam gets ready for a draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) that will be released on July 30, 2018, many people, whose cases are still pending before Foreigners’ Tribunals or the Gauhati High Court, will have to wait to have their names cleared before they can be added in the NRC. But as…

Declared Foreigner

A Declared Foreigner is a person who has failed to prove his citizenship before a Foreigners’ Tribunal. Names of suspected foreigners and D Voters are referred to FTs who then conduct a trial where the proceedee is required to not only produce documents to prove their citizenship, but also prove the authenticity of the documents. If they fail, the FT designates them Declared Foreigner (DF).

I’m not a smart man, but I know what prison is: Anjaan Musafir

In this edition of our series on how the idea of Indian citizenship is being made and unmade in Assam as the National Register of Citizens is being updated, we bring you the story of Anjaan Musafir*. He is a man who could be India’s answer to DB Cooper, given how he has successfully evaded authorities by...Read More

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“They came late at night demanding our fingerprints”: Three Sisters of Tubuki

Something insidious is underway in Tubuki village in Kampur Tehsil of Assam’s Nagaon district. Border Police personnel are allegedly going to people’s homes late at night demanding fingerprints! Three women from this village have alleged that officers of the Border Police came to their homes after dark, asked them to provide fingerprints and left after…

Assam Woman languishing in Detention Camp set free by SC on Personal Bond

In a huge relief for Sofiya Khatun, a detainee at the Kokrajhar Detention Camp in Assam, the Supreme Court has now ordered her release on a Personal Release (PR) Bond. The 50 year old had been lodged in the camp after she was declared a foreigner by a Foreigners’ Tribunal in Barpeta in 2016. A…

Abdul Kadir is the Imam of the mosque in his village. He is a much loved and highly respectable member of his community. People look up to him for his wisdom and good counsel. However, now both, he and his wife Hamida Khatoon have been declared foreigners by a Foreigner’s Tribunal. Moreover, all his children…

Judiciary on Assam

The Supreme Court is monitoring the NRC update process through the Registrar General of India. Over a period of time, the SC and Gauhati High Court have issued many orders on the NRC and citizenship issues. We present here a primer on how the judiciary has looked at the issue of citizenship and NRCs

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Gauhati HC Upholds NRC Coordinator’s order on siblings and family members of Declared Foreigners

Point of Discussion: The petition has been raised by an aggrieved brother of a Declared Foreigner and seeks to establish the unconstitutionality of such a notification in the light of S.2(3) and S.3(2) of the Schedule to the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003. Conclusion: The High Court upheld…

Gauhati HC order on Siblings and family members of Declared Foreigners

Point Under Discussion: The discussion centers on the citizenship status of the brothers, sisters and other family relatives of Declared Foreigners and their consequent inclusion in the NRC list. Conclusion: According to the existent statutory provisions, namely the Foreigners’ Act, 1946, read with the Foreigners’ (Tribunal) Order, 1964, the Superintendent of Police has to make…